


Lessons from lollipops

by Querion



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 20:17:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5305394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Querion/pseuds/Querion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Kathryn Janeway of the federation star ship USS Voyager has been ordered to play. Does she remember how...?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lessons from lollipops

Lessons from lollipops

Captain Janeway of the star ship USS Voyager rarely took time off for recreational activities. Apart from the Da Vinci program she often visited, she normall sat quietly in her quarters reading from her old fashioned books. 

The emergency medical hologram doctor (EMH) noted that Janeway was overdue for her annual physical exam. Again. He sighed and took an unnecessary deep breath even though as a hologram he did not require to breathe. As he sat in his office to try and devise a plan of getting the stubborn captain to comply with the medical order, Janeway walked in to sick bay. Suffice it to say that the doctor was visibly startled. He was happy because finally the captain was finally complying with medical protocol. On the other hand the doctor was worried because something major may have forced the captain to visit sick bay. After noticing how stressed the captain was, he had prescribed two days off for her to go to the holodeck and play. "Star ship captains do not play!" Janeway objected. "Well, i order you to play captain. Doctor`s orders. If you won`t then i will drag you there myself!" The doctor had ordered her in a condescending manner. Janeway ignored his attitude because in matters of the captain`s health the doctor over rode captain`s orders.

Janeway slowly dragged herself out of sick bay and walked towards her quarters. She was reluctant to leave her beloved bridge even for only two days. She hailed Chakotay, her first officer to inform him of her impending two day leave. She could almost sense his smile as he said "Aye, captain." Everybody, at least all the senior staff, was aware of the captain`s ability to pull double and triple shifts only relying on the power of coffee.

Once in her quarters, Janeway took off her uniform and tossed it into the recycler to be cleaned. She walked to her bedroom and stood in front of the wardrobe trying to decide what to wear. She did not have many clothes but the few she had were elegant. She chose a pair of black slacks and a red button down blouse and a pair of sandals. She then walked back out to the living area and sat in her favourite chair, a cup of hot, black coffee in one hand and her favourite book of poem in the other. She sighed contentedly and turned the page to where she left off last time. No sooner had she started reading than she heard the door chime activated. She wondered who was at the door so she queried with the computer. It was Seven of Nine, her astrometrics officer. Janeway`s heart beat fast and she quickly got up and met Seven halfway. Seven of Nine elicited extreme reactions and irrational thoughts in the good captain!

Seven of Nine had already entered and was now standing in front of the captain with her hands behind her back. "Have a seat, Seven." The captain said as she sat back down on her chair. "I prefer to stand!" "Humour me?" So Seven sighed and gingerly sat on the couch`s edge next to the captain. She had her hands neatly folded on her lap. She was still not used to sitting even after being aboard Voyager for three years. Assimilated by the Borg Collective at the age of six, Seven had spent eighteen years of her life as a Borg drone and they rarely sat down.

"So, what brings you here today?" "The doctor asked me to check on you." Seven said. "Ah, so he did!" Said the captain dryly. "Yes, he said i should accompany you to the holodeck. Do you have a program you wish to run?" "Yes, Seven. We can go this evening if you want. It`s an earth recreation program of a place called Sydney Land. It is a favourite plave for children to visit where their story book characters come to life through holographic technology. Parents enjoy it too." Janeway smiled warmly at Seven. "This place. Is it romantic, captain?" "Kathryn, Seven. Call me Kathryn when we are off duty and alone." "Kathryn." Seven tried. 

Seven saying her name sounded like a caress to Kathryn`s ears. Janeway was mesmerised as she listened to Seven saying her name. Her mind began to wander as she imagined Seven saying her name under different circumstances."..."and what are those circumstances?" snorted her annoying little inner voice." "Just don`t go there, Katie!" Kathryn chastised herself. She cleared her throat and looked at Seven. She was about to elaborate on what she said earlier about Sydney Land.

In the holodeck that evening, Janeway and Seven were in the Sydney Land simulation. The place was abuzz with activity as different characters interacted. Seven could vaguely remenber some of the stories from when her parents told her bed time stories when she was a little girl. A particular one story was about a knight in shining armour rescuing a princess.

Janeway looked beside her and saw her companion intently staring at a knight who was about to rescue a princess. She smiled and looked away. The sweet stands were beckoning to her. She grabbed Seven`s right hand and pulled her towards the stands. Seven allowed this while looking back to the kissing characters. For a fleeting moment, an image passed through her mind where the captain dressed in a white tuxedo held some German speaking alien at phaser point commanding him to, "Let. Her. Go." Seven shook her head as if that action will clear her mind. She has been day dreaming of a certain redhead quite a lot lately. 

At the sweet stand Seven looked at all the brightly coloured confectioneries. Kathryn picked up a red lollipop, unwraped it and encouraged Seven to do the same. There were many different ones she had a hard time choosing one. Finally, Seven picked a round, red hard sweet attached to a small white plastic tube to one end. She slowly unwrapped it from its transparent, plastic wrapper and looked at the captain expectantly. "How shall i proceed?"

Janeway popped the red lollipop in her mouth. She moaned at the taste as she swirled her tongue around the confectionery. Her eyes were closed as she savoured the taste. Her mind began to wander again. The tiny inner voice was back and blew a raspberry at her, mocking her that she was a coward and cannot have the real thing so she has to imagine. Janeway ruthlessly crashed it and shoved it deep down her mind where it belonged. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she removed the lollipop from her mouth. It made a `pop` sound as she did. She looked to her left and wished the ground beneath her feet would open up and swallow her whole. She was embarrassed to see Seven looking at her intently. She cleared her throat and said, "Well Seven, that is how you eat a lollipop!"

The corners of Seven`s mouth lifted ever so slightly and she said "I ...like the way you eat lollipops, captain." Janeway was warmed by Seven of Nine`s comment and wanted to say something but her rational mind took charge. So she pulled Seven`s left hand and together they headed towards the hot dog stand.

That evening, as Janeway sat in her living room, relaxing on the couch with a cup of black coffee in one hand, she looked back to the simple but lovely day she spent with her astrometrics officer. She finally realized that star ship captains too can play.

The End


End file.
